Drive Not Strive by William

Drive Not Strive by William - November 2018 Scholarship Essay

My favorite quote, "When defining a moment comes along, you can do one of two things: define the moment or let the moment define you." This quote is one of my main sources of inspiration. Because of this quote, I have done many things that I would initially be afraid or indifferent about doing. The quote specifically reminds me of a lesson I learned a couple years ago. The lesson was about the difference from the words drive and strive. The difference between the words is commonly misunderstood and therefore leads to miscommunication. Once I found out the difference and heard the quote, I never forgot why I do the things I do.

The difference between "drive" and "strive" is like the difference between "journey" and "destination". "Drive" is the action of doing something whereas "Strive" is the goal desired of achieving. If you strive for something, you are acting with the intent of achieving what you are striving for. If you drive to do something, you are actually doing that action. Once I understood this difference, I began to deeply think about the things I do, such as tennis and Boy Scouting, and why I do them. I began to formulate what I strive for. That's when I heard the quote, "When defining a moment comes along, you can do one of two things: define the moment or let the moment define you."

The quote really helps me understand how to apply the difference between "drive" and "strive" to my everyday life. I really began to think about my purpose of each action I took and actually strived to do it. I also learned that I need to drive and define each moment I get, not just strive to define them. This is why the quote, " When defining a moment comes along, you can do one of two things: define the moment or let the moment define you." is my favorite quote!